


Broad-Shouldered Beasts

by sewuwu



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Horror, One Shot, The Purge, Thriller, inspired by the purge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 23:54:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16377464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sewuwu/pseuds/sewuwu
Summary: It's Purge Night. Minhyuk is outside. He isn't prepared.





	Broad-Shouldered Beasts

**Author's Note:**

> HI!!!!!!!!! HAPPY MONSTA X COMEBACK DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAPPY HALLOWEEN MONTH!!!!!!!!!
> 
> i hope you're all loving and streaming shoot out! i LOVED it
> 
> welcome to the purge fic that nobody asked for, but me and minhyuk have provided. i promise i dont hate minhyuk.... i just love using him in my fics kjweqkjwq
> 
> ive tried a bit of a different writing style for this one, i hope u enjoy!

Minhyuk is on his way to the library when the siren goes off.

 

_Shit. Shit shit shit shit shiiiiiit._

His first purge night without the protection of his parent’s home.

 

_How the hell did I forget?_

He stops in the dirt track, the upturned earth covering his red converse trainers. He turns his head to look at the feathered pine trees towering over him.  It is getting dark. He is not safe here. If he turns around, he will be in the safety of his home in 15 minutes. He fumbles with the leather satchel at his waist and sighs in relief when his hand clasps the metal torch. He flicks the switch and the forest lights up.

 

“THERE’S SOMEONE IN THE FOREST!”

 

“STOP THE CAR!”

 

Tyres screech behind Minhyuk. He whips his head around and peers towards the road in front of him. He spots a group of people in masks climbing out of a pick up truck and walking into the forest. Coming towards him.

 

_Oh my god. They’re coming after me._

 

Minhyuk panics and flicks the torch off, surrounding himself in darkness. He can’t stay on the path. They’ll find him. He has mere seconds to make a decision before the group catch up with him. He makes an impulse decision and pushes his way through the pine needles to his right, running as fast as he can into the dense trees ahead.

 

_I can do this… I can do this…_

The figures following behind him are persistent. He can hear their feet stomping on the damp leaves that scatter the forest floor. If Minhyuk slows his speed down even the slightest, they will catch up with him. And they seem determined to catch him.

 

_I’m fucked. I’m fucked. I’m **fucked.**_

****

His parents always warn him about Purge Night. Ordinary people don’t get involved, and Minhyuk’s family is as ordinary as could be. They even reminded Minhyuk of it when he moved out. Minhyuk’s mother always says that you have to have a death wish to walk the streets on Purge Night. She doesn’t understand that people lived for the thrill of it. Ordinary people will never understand it for as long as they will live. Minhyuk sighs at the memory.

 

_I’ve let you down, mother._

**__ **

He’s been pushing his way through the suffocating branches around him for what feels like forever. His legs ache, his lungs burn, his breaths shake. He knows that he can’t keep this pace up for much longer. He was never the athletic type at high school. His only option is to hide. He takes his eyes off of the ground beneath his feet and frantically searches the area around him. He notices an old Victorian ice shed ahead of him. Couldn’t be more than 100 metres away.

 

_Please be open._

 

He picks up the pace for the final sprint, hoping to benefit from the extra distance between him and his pursuer. His feet struggle to stop as he reaches the brick building, his shoes skidding in the mud that surrounds the doorway. His hands fly out and grip the ice cold bars on the door, forcing his body to come to a complete stop. He pushes the door with as much force as he can. It doesn’t budge. He does his best not to groan in desperation as he hears the footsteps behind him getting closer. He pulls at the door, hands barely keeping their grip on the slippery metal. The door opens slowly. Too slowly. When there is enough space, Minhyuk squeezes himself between the door and the brick wall, letting the door shut behind him. He welcomes the absolute darkness in front of him like an old friend. He takes in a shallow breath as he slides down the damp wall.

 

“Where did you go, little lamb?”

 

The whisper echoing around the abandoned ice shed sends shivers down Minhyuk’s spine. He’s not sure how far away the footsteps are.

 

“Did you see where he went?”

 

Another voice. A new voice. It is low, an almost growl. The steps are getting close. Too close. Minhyuk shrinks into the shadows.

 

“He couldn’t have gone far. He’s probably hiding.” A laugh. “Fucking coward.”

 

“That’s no fun. I was _soooo_ excited to get my hands on him.”

 

The whispery voice is back. Minhyuk’s mind throws out images of what would happen to his body if they found him. It makes his hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

 

_How did you forget about fucking PURGE NIGHT, you FOOL? **WHO FORGETS THAT?**_

****

His rant at himself is cut short by the appearance of a set of broad shoulders being silhouetted against the dimming light outside.

 

_Someone is at the door. This is it._

“Do you think…?”

 

The deep voice from earlier cuts off, gesturing at the cold iron columns in front of him. Minhyuk feels the beads of sweat slowly rolling down his face as he shuffles away from the door as quietly as he can.

 

A high-pitched giggle slices through the tension in the air. “Those arms couldn’t move that.” A low grunt of approval responds.

 

“He’s probably hiding in the trees, or the bushes. Poor little lamb…”

 

The broad shouldered beast gives the metal bars another moment of consideration. He peers into the darkness beyond the door. Minhyuk holds his breath. Surprisingly delicate fingers run down the metal. He’s deciding Minhyuk’s fate.

 

**BANG.**

The beast smashes his crowbar against the door. Metal on metal. The sound reverberates through Minhyuk’s body. He throws his hands to his mouth to stop himself from yelling in surprise. He can feel his shallow breaths against his palms.

 

“Not in there.”

 

_Thank god._

 

The beast turns away. Minhyuk shuts his eyes. The footsteps become quieter as they search the surrounding area. Minhyuk is finally alone. He lets out a quiet sob and buries his face in the arms wrapped around his knees.

 

_I’m safe. I’m safe, I’m safe, I’m safe._

 

A few minutes pass. All Minhyuk can hear is the occasional water drop descending from the ceiling above him, and his steadying breaths.

 

_I need to get home._

He peers through the bars. Anybody could be out there. Waiting for him. His eyes adjust to the evening light. He can’t see anything out there. He’s going to have to pray that those people lost interest in him. He pushes onto the bars with all of his body weight. The door groans in response. Minhyuk begs it to be quiet.

 

_Which way did I come from?_

Minhyuk steps out of the ice shed and looks left and right, trying to discern the correct path. Trees and bushes was all that he could see. Everything looked the exact same. He has no idea which way to go.

 

_Shit._

 

He ultimately decides to go with his gut, which is telling him to go right. He walks in a straight line for 15 or so minutes, passing fallen trees and particularly muddy areas that he does not recognise, before deciding that he is going the wrong way. As he turns around to head back the way he’s come, he hears a stick snap behind him. There’s someone behind him. Yet again. Minhyuk slowly turns his head towards the sound and gapes. A wisp of a girl stands in front of him, in a flowing white dress that brushes the wet forest floor. It takes him a few more seconds to realise that in her hand, she’s holding something that is dripping crimson onto the white fabric. The girl follows Minhyuk’s line of sight and grins, lifting the object to show him what it is. An arm. An amputated arm. Minhyuk instinctively grabs onto his own arm at the sight of it. The girl giggles.

 

“Do not worry, mortal. You are not the one we want.”

 

Minhyuk is about to ask what she means by “we” when he notices a huge bonfire in the distance. There are several girls in similar outfits dancing around the flames, all holding various body parts in the air. He can hear the songs that they are singing, is almost drawn into them.

 

“C-can you help me?”

 

His voice is shaking. He is afraid of this girl. She cocks her head to the side and considers himself for a second, before smiling again.

 

“Of course. It is our job to help.”

 

Minhyuk does not really understand who they are, but he will take anything at this point.

 

“I need to get to the path. The one that runs through the woods? Do you know the way?”

 

The girl stands there for a minute, tapping the bloody ligament against her leg as she thinks. She looks behind Minhyuk and narrows her eyes, before moving her line of sight to the trees to the left of Minhyuk. She points towards that direction with the arm, much to Minhyuk’s disgust.

 

“That way. Forward for about 20 minutes.”

 

Minhyuk nods and goes to say thank you, but the mysterious girl cuts him off.

 

“Run. It isn’t safe for someone like you to be out tonight.”

 

Minhyuk can do nothing but nod again before he turns and runs in the direction that she pointed towards. He thanks his lucky stars that he met such an unusual yet friendly individual on purge night of all nights. He grips onto his satchel and runs as fast as he can. As he gets closer to the public footpath, he passes suspicious-looking mounds on the ground, but tries not to think about them. He almost trips over one at one point, glimpses at the leg beneath his converse, and squeezes his eyes shut as he jumps over it. The red of his converse blends in with the blood that covers the forest floor. He almost throws up, but he forces himself to keep running. He doesn’t slow down once he reaches the public path. He is desperate to get home.

 

He lets out a sigh of relief as he sees his road come into sight ahead of him. He is almost out of this nightmare. He is almost safe. His hand digs around his satchel once again, trying to locate his house keys. He can’t help the smile that breaks out on his face as his fingers clasp the brass key. His smile drops as he enters his street.

 

_It’s too quiet._

There is nobody else on around, which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, if Minhyuk wasn’t an anxious mess. He doesn’t feel safe. The hair on his arms stand on end as his ears get used to the silence.

 

_Somebody is out there._

He knows that he should run. He knows that he should stick to the shadows of the street. But he can’t bring himself to do either. He is exhausted, and he feels safe in the dim light of the streetlamps that line the pavements. He walks slowly, warily looking down every alleyway that he passes. He tries to move quietly. He doesn’t want to draw attention to himself.

 

_I just need to get home. I just need to go home._

 

His feet are on autopilot. They know this tarmac well. They know their way home. He’s thankful for this. He’s thankful that his buzzing mind won’t distract him from getting home.

 

_What’s that sound?_

Headlights light up the street. The car is coming towards Minhyuk. He dives into a front garden to his right, ducking behind the white picket fence. He doesn’t think the people driving saw him. He waits for them to go past.

 

**BANG.**

The gunshot almost makes Minhyuk jump out his skin. He peaks his head around the fence to follow the gun-happy party in the car charging up the street. He gives it a few more minutes before he all but sprints across the road to his house. He runs up the small flight of stairs, and grasps onto the door handle, jamming his key into the lock. As he pushes the key in, the door creaks open wide, revealing the dark corridor in front of him. His door is open. Someone has busted the lock. Someone broke into his house. Someone is in his house. He needs to get somewhere safe. He needs to call someone. He needs a friend. His shaky hand grabs the phone in his jacket pocket. He struggles to type his 4-digit passcode in. He scrolls down the minimal contact list and his thumb presses on ‘Changkyun’.

 

_Please pick up._

As Minhyuk holds the phone to his ear, he can’t help but slowly wander inside his house. He stands in front of the staircase, his phone pressed against his ear.

 

**Ring…**

**Ring…**

**Ring…**

**Rin-** “Hello?”

 

Minhyuk sighs. He opens his mouth to reply, but stops himself as he notices the pair of feet at the top of his stairs.

 

“Minhyuk?”

 

He drops the phone. He doesn’t mean to, but it just… slips out of his hand. It clatters to the ground, the sound resonating in the barren house. The feet turn towards him.

“Minhyuk?!”

 

_This is it._

 

“Hyuk...?”

 

The feet slowly make their way down the stairs.

 

Changkyun whispers this time.

 

“Are you there?”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading ^_^
> 
> comments and kudos are always appreciated!!! and if you want to chat/scream, im @sewuwu on twitter!


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